Troubled Bath nightclub The Blue Rooms to stay open

Councillors have rejected a police request to close down a Bath nightclub after a series of drugs raids and arrests.

Senior officers made an application to Bath and North East Somerset Council for a review of the licence of The Blue Rooms, in George Street, and asked that it be temporarily shut while an investigation took place.

But members of the local authority's licensing committee rejected the proposal at an emergency meeting this week and decided that it could remain open but with extra conditions on its licence.

These include a stipulation that everyone going into the club must be searched for drugs and weapons.

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The head of Bath police Chief Supt Geoff Spicer said: "I was surprised that the licensing authority did not take this opportunity to impose conditions that would have closed the club pending a full licence review hearing."

It follows a series of early morning drugs raids across the city last week, which resulted in four arrests.

Last Friday, Ben Shayegan, whose businessman father Kambiz Shayegan is one of the directors of the company which owns Blue Rooms, appeared at Bath Magistrates Court.

The 20-year-old, of Quiet Street, has been charged with two counts of supplying Class A drugs, namely cocaine, one charge of possession of cocaine with intent to supply and one charge of criminal damage.

Mr Shayegan snr was in court with his wife and son's girlfriend and offered £20,000 in security in a bid for his son to be granted bail. However, bail was denied and Ben Shayegan was remanded in custody until a hearing at Bristol Crown Court next month. He did not enter pleas to any of the charges.

Louie Mulholland, 19, of Linley Close, is charged with six counts of supplying Class A drugs. Calvyn Scott, 24, of Newton Road, is charged with two counts of supplying Class A drugs and one count of being concerned in offering to supply. Kalum Watts, 27, of Fosse Gardens, is charged with one count of supplying Class A drugs. They were all remanded in custody.

Police carried out raids last Thursday at addresses in Newton Road, Quiet Street, Linley Close, Fosse Gardens, Old Orchard Street and Dominion Road. At the time of the raids Mr Sheyagan snr said he had been shocked by the investigation. He added: "I have been working very closely with the police to keep trouble out of George Street. Recently the police praised us for the good job we have done."